Transit concrete mixer drum washout system

ABSTRACT

A washout system for cleaning concrete and other materials from the inside surface of a concrete mixer drum with a fluid is provided. The concrete mixer drum mounted to a concrete truck or the like with the fluid stored in a predetermined fluid source with the fluid source activatable to release fluid. The washout system comprises a telescoping pipe assembly extendible into the mixer drum with the telescoping pipe assembly having a first end and a second end and the first end fluidly connected to the fluid source. A spray bar is fluidly connected to the second end of the telescoping pipe assembly and a plurality of nozzles positioned circumferentially about and longitudinally along the spray bar wherein upon activation of the fluid source, thereby introducing fluid into the telescoping pipe assembly, the second end of the telescoping pipe assembly extends into the mixer drum.

The present application is a continuation of pending provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 60/236,217, filed on Sep. 28, 2000, entitled“Transit Concrete Mixer Drum Washout System”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a washout system for a transitconcrete mixer drum and, more particularly, it relates to a washoutsystem for a transit concrete mixer which is extendible into the mixerdrum for delivering pressurized water into the interior of the mixerdrum.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Transit concrete mixer drums typically consist of a large mixer drumwith internal fins arranged in a corkscrew pattern. The mixer drum ismounted horizontally and rotated about a center axis. As the mixer drumturns, the fins force the concrete into or out of the drum depending onthe direction of rotation.

Unfortunately, current concrete mixer drum design does not allowcomplete removal of the concrete. In fact, when the mixer drum is loadedwith fresh concrete and then unloaded, a small amount of concreteremains inside the mixer drum adjacent the fins. In an attempt to removethe remaining concrete, the concrete truck driver or operator will thenfill the mixer drum with water in an attempt to wash the remainingconcrete from the mixer drum. However, since concrete trucks only carrya maximum of one hundred and twenty-five (125) gallons of water whichmust be used to water down the load before concrete unloading, theremaining amount of water is not sufficient to clean the mixer drum,especially on the side of the fins facing toward the front of theconcrete truck.

Another alternative to remove the concrete prior to hardening within themixer drum is to load a large amount of water into the mixer drum uponthe concrete truck returning to the operation site. Unfortunately, thewater travels directly to the front of the mixer drum and does not washthe back side of the fins. The operator typically can not reach farenough into the mixer drum to reach the back side of the fins.

The concrete remaining in the mixer drum which is not washed out, theconcrete will harden inside the mixer drum. Over time, layers ofconcrete build up until large amounts of dried, hardened concrete ispresent inside the mixer drum; reducing the mixer drum volume and mixingwith the fresh concrete. The hardened concrete must now be removed bymechanical or chemical means. Neither of the mechanical means norchemical means are an attractive method for the concrete truck operatordue to high costs and environmental hazards. For instance, mechanicalmeans typically requires a person to physically enter the drum with ajackhammer to physically remove the hardened concrete. Chemical means,on the other hand, typically requires dangerous chemical which cancontaminate the environment or require special handling and safetyprocedures.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a transit concrete mixer drumwashout system which effectively removes concrete from the inside of amixer drum prior to the concrete hardening therein. Additionally, a needexists for a transit concrete mixer drum washout system which does notrequire either expensive mechanical removal of hardened concrete ordangerous chemicals harmful to the environment. Furthermore, thereexists a need for a transit concrete mixer drum washout system which isextendible into the mixer drum to inject pressurized water to all areasthereby removing the concrete therein prior to hardening.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a washout system for cleaning concrete andother materials from the inside surface of a concrete mixer drum with afluid. The concrete mixer drum mounted to a concrete truck or the likewith the fluid stored in a predetermined fluid source with the fluidsource activatable to release fluid. The washout system comprises atelescoping pipe assembly extendible into the mixer drum with thetelescoping pipe assembly having a first end and a second end and thefirst end fluidly connected to the fluid source. A spray bar is fluidlyconnected to the second end of the telescoping pipe assembly and aplurality of nozzles positioned circumferentially about andlongitudinally along the spray bar wherein upon activation of the fluidsource, thereby introducing fluid into the telescoping pipe assembly,the second end of the telescoping pipe assembly extends into the mixerdrum.

The present invention additionally includes a method for cleaningconcrete and other materials from the inside surface of a concrete mixerdrum with a fluid. The method comprise providing a telescoping pipeassembly, providing a spray bar, forming a plurality of nozzles alongthe spray bar, connecting the spray bar to the telescoping pipeassembly, introducing fluid into the telescoping pipe assembly, andextending at least a portion of the telescoping pipe assembly into themixer drum.

The present invention further includes an assembly for cleaning concreteand other materials from the inside surface of a concrete mixer drumwith a fluid. The assembly comprises telescoping means extendible intothe mixer drum and spray means connected to the telescoping means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view illustrating a transit concrete mixerdrum washout system, constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, with the washout system extended into the mixer drum;

FIG. 2 is an elevational side view illustrating the transit concretemixer drum washout system, constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, with the washout system in the starting position; and

FIG. 3 is an elevation side view illustrating the transit concrete mixerdrum washout system, constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, with the washout system in the activated position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the present invention is a washout system,indicated generally at 10, for washing concrete or the like from atransit concrete mixer drum 12 or other type of vehicle with difficultaccessibility. As discussed above, transit concrete mixer drums 12typically consist of a large mixer drum 12 with internal mixing fins 14arranged in a substantial corkscrew pattern. The mixer drum 12 istypically mounted substantially horizontally upon a concrete truck androtated about a center axis. Depending on the desired direction ofrotation, as the mixer drum 12 rotates about the center axis, the mixingfins 14 actually force the concrete deeper into the mixer drum 12 toinsure complete mixing of the concrete or out of the mixer drum 12 fordeposit of the concrete in a desired location.

The washout system 10 of the present invention includes a telescopingpipe 16 having a plurality of pipe sections with each pipe section beingreceivable within the adjacent pipe section such that in the startingposition, the washout system 10 is completely retracted. At the end ofthe telescoping pipe 16, a spray bar 18 is fluidly connected thereto.The spray bar 18 preferably has a plurality of nozzles 20 positionedcircumferentially about and longitudinally along the spray bar 18 todirect water in all or substantially all directions within the mixerdrum 12, including to hard-to-reach areas behind the mixing fins 14where concrete tends to collect thereby insuring complete washout of themixer drum 12.

The telescoping pipe 16 is connected to a water supply 22 and isextendible completely into the mixer drum 12 to reach the back side ofall of the mixing fins 14. When pressurized water is applied to thetelescoping pipe 16, the washout system 10 of the present invention isactivated with the spray bar 18 automatically or manually extendingcompletely into the mixer drum 12. The nozzles 20 of the spray bar 18direct the pressurized water onto the inside surfaces of the mixer drum12, including the back side of the mixing fins 14, not normallyreachable through any other conventional mixer drum washing method.

The washout system 10 is connectable to a water supply 22, either from astandpipe at the operation site or the water supply stored on theconcrete truck, if any remains after removal of the concrete at thedesired location. Furthermore, non-toxic, environmentally friendlycleaning agents can be used, although not necessarily required, toassist in thoroughly cleaning the inside surfaces of the mixer drum 12,including the mixing fins 14.

As described above, preferably, the length of the telescoping pipe 16 issufficient to reach the front of the farthest forward mixing fin 14 ofthe mixer drum 12 and wash the back side of all of the mixing fins 14 toinhibit any concrete building up on the back side of the fins 14 orelsewhere within the mixer drum 12. The nozzles 20 are preferablyrecessed relative to the spray bar 18 to inhibit any potential problemsassociated with retracting the spay bar 18 into the telescoping pipe 16once the mixer drum 12 washout is complete and deactivated. Furthermore,the angle of the telescoping pipe 16 relative to the ground should beequivalent to the interior layout of the mixer drum 12 so that thetelescoping pipe 16 does not become caught or broken off inside themixer drum 12.

The spray bar 18 of the washout system 10 of the present invention ispreferably includes an automatic return system 24 such as a weight andpulley or spring. The return system 24 allows the spray bar 18 toautomatically retract into the telescoping pipe 16 once the waterpressure to the telescoping pipe 16 is turned off or otherwisedisconnected. The automatic return system 24 allows the spray bar 18 andthe telescoping pipe 16 to return to the starting, stored position andnot remain inside the mixer drum 12 when the concrete truck is intransit. It should be noted, however, that a manual return system 24 isalso within the scope of the present invention.

It should be noted that the washout system 10 can be connected directlyto the concrete truck or the standpipe. Therefore, the washout system 10can be transported to a job location for immediate clean out.

The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferredembodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawingsand described in detail, with varying modifications and alternativeembodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown,described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled inthe art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made thereinwithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, andthat the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to theclaims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention asdisclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of thespecific elements which are disclosed herein.

1. A washout system for cleaning concrete and other materials from theinside surface of a concrete mixer drum with a fluid, the concrete mixerdrum mounted to a concrete truck or the like, the fluid stored in apredetermined fluid source with the fluid source activatable to releasefluid, the washout system comprises: a telescoping pipe assemblyextendible into the mixer drum, the telescoping pipe assembly having afirst end and a second end, the first end fluidly connected to the fluidsource; a spray bar fluidly connected to the second end of thetelescoping pipe assembly; and a plurality of nozzles positionedcircumferentially about and longitudinally along the spray bar; whereinupon introducing fluid into the telescoping pipe assembly, the secondend of the telescoping pipe assembly automatically extends into themixer drum; wherein the telescoping pipe assembly has an automaticreturn system such that the spray bar automatically retracts into thetelescoping pipe upon deactivation of the fluid source and thetelescoping pipe assembly retracting from within the mixer drum.
 2. Thewashout system of claim 1 wherein the telescoping pipe assembly has aplurality of pipe sections, each pipe section being receivable within anadjacent pipe section.
 3. The washout system of claim 1 wherein thenozzles direct fluid in at least substantially all directions to theinside surface within the mixer drum.
 4. The washout system of claim 1wherein the nozzles are recessed.
 5. The washout system of claim 1wherein the fluid source is mounted to the concrete truck.
 6. Thewashout system of claim 1 wherein the telescoping pipe assembly has anangle substantially equivalent to the interior layout of the mixer drum.7. The washout system of claim 1 wherein the automatic return system isselected from the group consisting of a weight and pulley and a spring.8. The washout system of claim 1 wherein the telescoping pipe assemblyhas a manual return system for manually retracting the spray bar andtelescoping pipe assembly from within the mixer drum.